


Glaring

by Angelwingsl3 (Marie_Fanwriter)



Series: Macen & Avitus [6]
Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Coming Out, Family, Fluff and Angst, Loyalty Missions Exchange 2018, M/M, Pre-Mass Effect: Andromeda, parental homophobia, unsupportive parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-10 22:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16463945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marie_Fanwriter/pseuds/Angelwingsl3
Summary: Summary:Before departing for Andromeda, there are a few people Pathfinder Macen Barro needs to talk to and a very special someone he wants to introduce.Timeline:2184, in the months before the Initiative departs for Andromeda.





	Glaring

**Author's Note:**

  * For [olio](https://archiveofourown.org/users/olio/gifts), [inquisitor_tohru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inquisitor_tohru/gifts), [Some_Writer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Some_Writer/gifts).



> A treat for the Loyalty Missions Exchange. To all the other Macen/Avitus fans out there, they deserve to be happy!
> 
> Beta: [**Some_Writer**](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Some_Writer)

**Glaring**

\---

Macen was in the kitchen when it happened. He’d just finished putting a roast _louza_ into the oven to bake. Avitus was lazing on the couch, one arm tossed haphazardly over his face against the overhead lights, not quite napping, but not quite awake. The vibration on Macen’s omnitool alerted him to an incoming call and when he raised his wrist, he made a face at the caller’s ID.

It was his mother.

The soon-to-be-retired Blackwatch agent inhaled through his nose over the course of a few seconds before releasing the breath harshly through his mouth. He’d neglected to call her since he arrived on the Citadel for his newest posting, it had been a few weeks and he was overdue.

His mother rarely reached out to him, but apparently they ‘didn’t talk often enough,’ he mimed the words she’d spoken time a thousand times before rolling his emerald-coloured eyes. A second steadying breath was all Macen had time for before he needed to put on his ‘happy face’ and take the call. While he loved his parent, talking to her could be… _stressful._

A few seconds after he hit the accept key, and while the program connected him to his mother on Palaven, he looked beyond the haptic interface to see that Avitus had sat up and was watching him. Avi’s head cocked to the side a little in question, not knowing if there was anyone on the call yet, or maybe just asking who it was. There wasn’t enough time for him to reply, however, as his mother’s tawny brown plates came into view a few seconds later.

“Mom,” he greeted with the best smile he could muster. “How are you?”

His eyes flicked to Avitus’. Understanding was quick to appear on his plates and the ex-Spectre resettled down onto the couch to wait out the call. His parents didn’t even know that Avi existed, let alone that they were bonded. One of his hands rose to palm the scar tissue on his shoulder. He was relieved that his shirt covered the bondmark, at least until he had a chance to tell them properly.

 _“Fine, Macen, just fine. Neither your dad or I had heard from you. We were starting to worry!”_ she said with all the subtlety and grace of a brick flying through a window. _“We had to find out from your brother that you aren’t even on Palaven!”_

Macen kept his annoyed grumble to himself. His brother had called him the week prior to ask him a few questions about a program he was trying to learn to use. He doubted his younger sibling had intentionally let it slip that he was on the Citadel, but it wasn’t as though he’d asked him to keep it a secret.

“Sorry, mom. I’ve just been busy with work. I’m helping to install new security protocols here following the geth Attack.”

 _“Hm,”_ she brushed him off. _“Not too busy to tell Farin though.”_

Macen sighed. “Farin needed help with a project, that’s all.” He decided to redirect the conversation, put it back on her. That usually worked. Macen leaned back against the counter, resting his weight in preparation for the long diatribe he expected was to follow. “How’s your glass artistry group? Did you manage to finish your plans for the summer festival?”

 _“Weeks ago, dearest!”_ she announced, triumphant. _“Your dad is going to put a couple frames together for me when he gets the time if there’s anything you’d like….”_

“I don’t have an apartment,” he reminded her gently. It wasn’t that her artwork wasn’t beautiful, her stained glass mosaics were simply stunning, but he honestly had no nest of his own. He and Avitus had only just solidified their relationship and he wasn’t about to start filling Avitus’ space with his own junk.

 _“Then where are you now?”_ His mom asked with a knowing hum of interest. As though she could see more of the background, she adjusted herself in the frame as though she was looking around. _“That doesn’t look like a hotel room.”_

Not for the first time did Macen hate the fact that she was preceptive. “It’s an apartment, just not my apartment.” He glanced up from the screen for a moment to see Avitus was sitting up again, watching him. The expression on his face was indiscernible.

 _“Well then… who’s apartment is it?”_ Her voice rose as she gained interest in the conversation, her undertones shouted her curious and slightly nosey intentions. If there was one thing mom was not, it was subtle. It’s probably where he got his own sense of subtlety from. _“You aren’t courting someone, are you?”_

“Maybe I am.”

Macen was torn between watching the glee on his mom’s face and the abject horror on his mate’s. Avi’s eyes had gone wide and his mandibles were loose against his jaw. The Blackwatch agent grinned at him and it was only the waving of his arms in a very distinct version of the hand signal for no that stopped him from trying to introduce them over vid-conference.

_“Then you have to bring her for a visit! Let her meet the family.”_

His mouth opened and closed a few times as he considered her words. Her. His mom assumed that he was going to bring a female home… where the hell would he have found a female on the Citadel? They were a rare breed outside of Hierarchy space. Especially ones who were around his age. Macen had only just finished his mandatory service years.

Avitus had stood up from the couch, he was shaking his head no and mouthing, _please don’t._

But it was too late. “We’ll set something when my next leave comes up. Should be some time next month if that’ll work for you and dad.”

_“I’ll let him know! Oh, he’ll be delighted. Call your sister? She’ll only come if she knows you’re going to be here and best your new partner meet the whole family at once, hm?”_

Macen nodded. “I’ve got to go. I’ll message you when I know the dates.”

_“Lovely dear. I’ll pass along your regards.”_

“Bye.”

_“Bye, bye!”_

No sooner than Macen closed out his omnitool was Avitus in his face. “What the hell did you just agree to, Mace? I’m not… clan material.”

It had been only a few weeks since they’d started living together. Avitus’ apartment hadn’t even had time to become their apartment, their relationship had only just started to roll out of the shadows. But maybe trying to out them to his family was a little… much.

“Of course you are, Avi.” Macen insisted as he closed the few paces between them. His hands found the taller male’s shoulders and he squeezed lightly over the scarred hide beneath his shirt before sliding one hand up to cup his mandible. “You’re my clan.”

Before Avitus could protest the treatment or his words, Macen pressed their crests together. His voice dropped low and he sang an apologetic note. Avitus melted into his chest, dropping his head to the shorter turian’s shoulder.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” Avitus told him. “You know that?”

“And you’ll take me right down with you, Avi.” Macen chuckled and wrapped his talons around the underside of his fringe, massaging into the tight knots he found waiting there. “We don’t have to go. I can cancel.”

Macen felt him shake his head. “We… we’ll go.”

\---

Taking a deep breath, Macen stepped out of the shuttle and onto the gangplank leading down to the station. He didn’t think that he’d be this nervous. It wasn’t like his parents’ opinion mattered, he’d already bonded Avitus. The deed was done, he was happy. Honestly and truly happy for the first time in his life. His career brought him satisfaction, his clan familial affection… but the only true happiness was when he had Avi in his arms.

Whatever they thought didn’t matter.

“Hey, Macen?” Avitus kept his voice low as he knocked their shoulders together. “You alright?”

He shook his head, refocusing on the spaceport around them. Avitus was looking down at him, an expression of concern plastered across his usually passive face. It took a lot to rattle Avi, so the obvious display of concern was sort of disconcerting in its own right.

“Fine,” he lied.

“Mhm…” Avitus didn’t believe him for a second. Yet he started walking again regardless. Another thing about Avi that he loved, was that the male would let him come to terms with things on his own. Let him speak when he was ready to do so, the only other one who did that was his sister, Tillian or Tilly for short.

For a handful of minutes, they were silent as they made their way to the security lineup. Though, instead of waiting with everyone else his partner veered left for an unmarked door. Macen followed him, his mandibles fluttering with mild amusement. Avi didn’t like people and ninety percent of the time he used his Spectre status in Macen’s presence was moments like this. Avoiding queues.

The first time, Macen had thought it wrong. Now, he almost wanted Spectre status of his own simply to avoid the bureaucracy.

Behind the DNA keyed door an armed and armoured guard was waiting behind a simple metal desk. She looked up from her terminal, green eyes blinking once before she waved them on without a word. Either she recognized Avitus or the terminal told her all she needed to know.

Either way, they were through to the arrivals lounge in mere minutes instead of taking an hour to get through Palaven customs. “I didn’t think we’d be through so fast,” Macen said aloud, glancing down at his omnitool. His mandibles shifted into a frown. “Want to grab a kava or something?”

Avitus half turned to look at him, his crest tilting in question. “We can just get a cab unless you’d rather wait?”

“Family is probably on the way already. No use crossing paths….”

Again, his partner just agreed with him and led the way toward the nearest set of kiosks. It was a Palavani kava chain, nothing special, but it would do. Without needing to ask, Avi put in the order and they found a table with enough space to stow their duffles underneath. When their number appeared on the screen, his mate fetched their drinks and placed one steaming mug down in front of him.

When Macen inhaled, he found it wasn’t a regular kava with a half sweetener as he’d expected. Instead, it was the frilly beverage that Avitus usually scoffed at him for ordering. It was triple the price and, according to Avi, didn’t taste much different. Macen disagreed. He made a grateful sound with his second voice as he took the first sip. It was customized exactly as he liked.

“Thank you,” he said aloud once he’d put the mug back down on the table.

Avitus waved him off, his attention on his omnitool.

It was nice, sitting out in the open together like this. Macen was only now realizing that they’d never actually just sat at a kava shop. They’d never travelled together. It was a weekend of firsts for a lot of things it seemed. The Blackwatch agent just hoped it wasn’t too much too fast.

“I’m nervous,” Macen announced.

“Mhm?” Avitus hummed, closing out his tool to give Macen his full attention. “Why’s that, hun?”

Macen felt some of the tension bleed off. When Avi was relaxed, his voice dropped some of its usual formality and it fell into his colonial drawl. And when his partner was calm, Macen was calm. He wrapped his talons around the hot drink and blew out a breath to help cool it. Steam billowed out of the mug and dissipated into the air.

His mandibles rolled in indecision before he settled on words. “I’ve told you about my clan before. I love them, I really do, but mom can be a little... much. Sometimes. She means well…” he defended. “Always means well, but it won’t come off that way.”

Nodding once, the Spectre took another long sip of his kava before placing the bitter beverage back on the table. “Mm’ not here for them,” Avitus told him before he reached out and took his hand. Macen’s eyes fell to their clasped talons. They’d never done that before either and it made his throat flush and his heart sing.

For all the years they’d been together... only now was Macen realizing all they’d missed out on. As tempting as it was to lament the lost years, Macen decided to focus on their now. The present was so much more important and as he looked up he found himself enraptured by his partner’s amber gaze. Despite the bustling station around them, it felt like they were in their own little world.

The sounds of the spaceport rushed past the pair of turians as they sat unhindered in the back corner of the small kava shop. It was just so… normal. Macen couldn’t help the small smile that had settled over his face and it couldn’t be removed no matter how hard he tried. Even when Avitus went back to his omnitool, he left one hand in his grasp.

Turians were bustling past them, heading to see their loved ones or catch up with work. His emerald gaze followed a small family as they approached the customs gate with a large sign that said, ‘Welcome home, Yanis!’ on it. This Yanis appeared through the gate after a handful of minutes and the smallest of the fledglings rushed towards him. It was a moment so personal that Macen didn’t think he should really be watching it, but he felt compelled to. They looked so happy as Yanis took one of the fledglings onto his shoulders and another by the talons as he pressed his crest to the turian that must have been his mate.

Little by little, Macen became less apprehensive about the reunion and more excited for his clan to meet the love of his life.

A ping from his ‘tool is what finally pulled him from his brief reverie. It was the familiar tone he’d set for his sister. Macen glanced up toward Avitus who was finishing the last dregs of his plain kava. There was an amused tilt to Avi’s mandibles when their eyes met and he placed the cup down onto the table.

Though outwardly his mate appeared calm and cool, inwardly Macen thought that he might’ve been nervous. Avitus didn’t have a family. He was from the colonies, a backwater planet where he’d grown up rough with only a father and older brother. He didn’t talk much about it, not even to him. Despite being together for more than five years, he had still yet to learn his brother’s name, let alone how he died.

All that Macen knew was that, other than himself, Avitus was alone in this world.

Saren had been his mentor, Nihlus his friend. Both were dead. The pair of them had been his clan since he didn’t interact much with his Blackwatch and Hierarchy service friends after being inducted into the Spectres. They were acquaintances and contacts for sure, but it wasn’t appropriate for him to be more than that with them, no matter how much he missed them. Avitus was always too selfless in that sense, he never wanted to endanger others.

That might’ve been part of the reason why, after Saren died, that he was so willing to leave that life behind and find a new one. Find a life with him, even if it was some hard-crested idea of jetting across the galaxy to find a home that they could live in without fear.

“Who is it?” Avi prompted when he replied to the message without a word.

“Tillian,” he replied as he finished off his drink and started to stand. Macen reached his arms up above his head, stretching out and allowing the hem of his shirt to ride up and tease his mate. “She just got to the Spaceport. Arrivals poll 12.”

Avitus’ eyes traced the small piece of hide that showed under his shirt, just as Macen expected him to before he too stood up with a small trill of approval. “Remind me why we didn’t just take a cab?”

The Blackwatch agent hefted his bag over his shoulder before passing Avitus’ over. “Twofold. One, it’s a courtesy and more comfortable in a clan vehicle. And two, it will give you a chance to meet Tilly before the rest of the family.” He let their hands touch just a little too long as he passed the duffle over. “Tillian’s opinion is the only one that matters.”

A nod. “Alright, hun.” Avitus’ mandible flick in indecision for a moment before he reached out and took Macen’s chin in his free hand. He pulled their crests together for a bare moment before moving off. “I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

Together they headed for the exit, walking side-by-side, even if it wasn’t hand-in-hand. It was busy, peak travel time. Avitus’ eyes were casually scanning the crowd, despite the security and the unlikelihood of anything happening in Cipritine of all places, he was on alert. Eventually, he might get over that, but Macen sincerely doubted it. From what he understood, Saren Arterius had hammered a solid sense of paranoia into Avitus.

At least it meant that he could relax for the moment and focus on finding Tillian.

Her bright red skycar was easy to pick out. The vehicle remained slightly impractical, especially considering her modest career as an office manager at a mining firm. But she enjoyed driving it so Macen hadn’t ever said a negative utterance about the purchase. Tillian got enough of that from their dad.

“You weren’t kidding when you said she looked like you,” Avitus said aloud with a small chuckle. He’d spotted her first. Rolling out his mandibles, Macen grinned… of course, Avi saw her first.

She was standing on the other side of the car from them, looking over the hood as she scanned the crowd. She hadn’t seen them yet.

“Last chance,” Macen teased. “Make a run for it?”

“Macen!”

“Too late,” Avitus elbowed him and flicked his crest in the direction of his sister’s voice. He took the bag off Macen’s arm and encouraged him: “Go, I’ll follow.”

Calling out to his sister, Macen took the last ten or so metres at a slight jog. She rounded the car to drag him into a warm hug. Her colours were the same as his own and their father’s, grey plates and green eyes. She wore a Palavani styled sarong, which was fitting of the late growing season. He was honestly already a little warm in his travel clothes, a simple blue suit.

“Been too long!” she chirped, brushing her temple against his before pulling back to look at him. Her gaze scanned him from fringe to talons and she seemed to find everything as it should be when she nodded and grinned. “How was the flight?”

“Good, had some creds saved up and got a bunk.”

“Of course you did.” Tilly’s mandibles rolled out in playful annoyance. “So… where’s…” she stopped and her gaze travelled up and up. “Oh, Hello.”

Macen tended to forget how tall Avitus was. He felt his mate approaching and heard him stop a pace behind them. He turned around and took his bag back, humming warmly at his mate while smiling wide. “Tilly, this is Avi.”

“Avitus Rix,” his mate stepped out from behind him and he reached for his sister’s shoulders in a fairly standard familial greeting.

“Tillian Barro,” she replied as she met him and placed her hand onto his shoulder in return. Instead of simply releasing, however, she rose on her toes and brushed her temple against his as she’d done with him.

Thankfully, Macen had prepared his mate for the fact his family was more touchy than most turians… especially those from the colonies. Avitus took it in stride, singing a greeting as she released him. His sister turned back to him, her eyes flicking between them and she smiled before tilting her crest toward the car and heading over to open the storage compartment.

“Ready to go brave mom?” she chuckled.

Macen groaned playfully as he followed her and tossed his bag in first before reaching for Avi’s. “As ready as I’m going to be.”

Tilly just kept laughing and she headed for the driver’s side of the car. Before Macen could climb into the vehicle as well, he felt Avitus’ hand on his lower back. Despite all the traffic around them, Avitus was comforting him. Yet another thing he’d never allowed in public before, not even after the vicious inquiry when Avitus had been forced to speak about his mentor.

The feeling of Avitus’ warm hand through his shirt helped him relax. At the very least, Macen wasn’t alone.

\---

Arriving at the clan home felt like going back in time.

The home was modest, two bedrooms and sandwiched as a rowhouse with hardly any space between their unit and the next one over… but at least it had a yard. His dad loved taking care of the small garden that sat beneath the front windows. Nothing was blooming as it was only passing the heat of the day when Tillian’s car descended into the parking space out front. By nighttime Macen knew a hundred flowers would be out.

He’d have to come out to see them later.

Avitus was first out of the vehicle, stretching as he headed for the storage compartment and fetched their bags. By the time Macen had steadied himself for the impending shitstorm of telling his parents he was already bonded, Avitus was waiting with his door opened.

“Y’alright, hun?” Avi asked in a low voice, his subvocals dipping into concern. “You don’t hafta.”

Macen shook his head. “I’m okay. Just tired.”

Avitus hummed in understanding and backed off to let him out of the skycar. Tillian was already halfway down the pathway to the front door, passing beneath the shade of the only tree in the yard, the silver leaves swaying in the light breeze. She glanced back over her shoulder at them, grinning, and he couldn’t help but smile himself. At least she approved.

Leading the way, Macen found himself walking a half pace in front of Avitus. He wasn’t quite sure if he was subconsciously protecting him or if Avitus was trying to let him take the lead. Tillian had already gone inside to greet them.

Upon entering, Macen slipped out of his boots and directed Avitus to do the same. He placed the bags down at the base of the stairs and lead the way deeper into the house as Tilly called: “Mace, we’re in the sitting room!”

In a last-ditch effort to delay the inevitable, Macen took his mate’s hand and squeezed it. Avitus smiled down at him and flicked his crest in the direction of Tilly’s call. “After you,” Avitus said, squeezing one more time before letting go.

The room was modestly sized, enough for a couch and two recliners. Both of the chairs were occupied by his parents and Tillian was seated on the armrest of their mother’s seat. The vidscreen was alight with a biotiball game which, if Macen remembered how to read the time gauge correctly, was in the last few seconds before halftime. While his father’s attention was riveted to the screen his mother was quick to leave Tilly’s side to greet him.

“Macen!” she chirped happily and ushered him further into the room and into her arms. “It’s been so long, I hardly recognized you.”

“Mom...” he complained, settling into her grip and sighing. “It’s only been a few months.”

“Seven!” she corrected, loosening her grip so she could move back and pierce him with a disapproving look.

“Macen,” sensing an impending argument, dad stepped in before his mate could continue. The halftime show appeared on the screen behind him, Macen noted that the Blues were winning. A good omen, he hoped. “Welcome home, son,” he said, tugging Macen into his own embrace. When he was released, his father’s eyes travelled to their guest who lingered on the outskirts and he asked: “Are you going to introduce us?”

The engineer’s mandibles shifted into an easy smile as he pulled away and half-turned to his own mate. Avitus was standing somewhat awkwardly in the doorway, still partly in the hall. Looking at him, he was the picture of calm, a slight smile on his mandibles as he watched the small reunion in front of him.

“Mom, dad, this is Avitus.” At the name, Macen’s subvocals pitched with the intimate significance of what it truly meant to him.

As expected, the reactions were a bit… mixed. Dad’s was about as expected- a little confused at the suddenness of finding out his son was gay. And mom’s well… she looked horrified for a half-second before she hid her expression behind her mandibles.

Macen had expected that reaction too.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Avi said, stepping closer to Macen and putting his hand on his shoulder. No doubt, Avitus could feel his disappointment for his mother’s reaction. Macen couldn’t help but fear that this would only solidify Avitus’ own fears that he wouldn’t be accepted and that he wasn’t ‘clan-material’.

It was his father who reached out first, greeting him as Tilly had at the spaceport. “Avitus, you can call me Micus.” He gestured to the silent turian beside him. “My mate, Lin. And you’ve met Tillian already. Welcome.”

The movement seemed to snap his mom out of her tizzy and she trilled a note of greeting as well, though it wasn’t nearly as pleasant as dad’s had been. “I’ll make us a _tisane_ , I’ve got your favourite, Macen. _Arimaceau_.”

“Sounds good,” Macen replied and he followed her deeper into the home. He heard Tillian say she’d show Avitus where he could leave their bags before he was out of hearing range. At that moment, he wished he was the one headed for shelter. Macen knew better than to assume the smile on his mother’s plates was genuine.

The _caman_ was smaller than he remembered it to be but mom didn’t seem to notice as she flitted around the space, fetching what she needed and began setting water to boil. Macen took up a place leaning against the dull grey countertop, his arms crossing over his keel. The fact that dad stood in the doorway, blocking the only exit did not go unnoticed.

Light streamed in from the window over the sink, the beam clear of dust. Macen found his eyes drawn to that instead of the flurry of activity. It was almost calming until the motion stopped and his mother stepped through that ray of light and into his space.

Her voice was hushed and admittedly accusatory as she said: “You didn’t even tell us you were seeing anyone, let alone a male! Of all things, Macen….”

Macen felt his mandibles grow tight. He’d known her stance a long time on same-sex relationships. Though normal in turian culture, she despised them. No biological fledglings came from the bondings and in her mind that meant it wasn’t real. It was fine for others but never her own children. It wasn’t how the Barro’s lived.

“Lin…” dad warned. “Stop.”

“Micus!” she rounded on him, arms out wide and mandibles loose. “He was the most promising. Tillian still has her head in the clouds and Farin hasn’t even brought a potential home yet and he’s nearly through his service years. We’re never going to see a fledge!”

Letting out a long sigh, Macen brought his hand up to his crest and he ran his talons through the blades to try and let out some of the frustration. All that mattered was the legacy and his mother getting grandchildren. It didn’t matter that he was in love or that his career was booming. No matter what he did, it would never be good enough.

His mandibles clamped down against his jaw and Macen dropped his hands. It was time to fight back, just a little. “I’m happy,” he said. “Isn’t that what matters?”

“Of course it is, Macen,” his father replied while letting out a sigh. “We’re happy for you. Aren’t we, Lin?”

Her shoulders dropped, resigned to her fate. Saying she didn’t care about her children’s happiness wasn’t something she’d do. Macen had caught her up in her own web.

Back in the sitting room, the vidscreen flashed as the halftime show finished and the sound reinitialized. Macen caught the wistful shift of his father’s mandible and he nodded to him. “Go catch the game, dad. We’ll be out in a few minutes.” Micus grumbled something to Lin before pushing off the doorframe and returning to the vidscreen. In the same moment, the kettle finished boiling and the whistle stopped. His mother distracted herself under the pretense of filling the pot. Once the lid was settled, Macen stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “I know this isn’t what you expected, mom.”

“It’s not, no.”

“Give him a chance, please. Avitus is…” Macen paused, attempting to find the right way to describe his bondmate. When he couldn’t decide on any one idea he settled with: “He’s special to me.”

Lin simply sighed and Macen let go, drifting back to lean on the counter once again. After a few moments of staring at the pot, she grabbed the sweetener off one of the other shelves and dropped a portion into one of the three mugs she’d fetched. “Do you take any?” she asked, offering the container.

“No,” Macen shook his head. He may like his frilly beverages but this one, at home, could be enjoyed on its own. “Thank you, though.”

“I’m never sure with you anymore,” she said while putting it away. “You keep changing, my boy.”

Macen grit his teeth and allowed his gaze to drift back to the beam of sunshine. He wasn’t a fledgling anymore. He hadn’t been for a long time.

They stood in silence until the _arimaceau_ was ready. Avitus and Tilly had returned to the sitting room. When Macen and his mother entered, his father had retaken his usual chair and Tillian was on the couch looking at her omnitool. Avitus had taken a seat beside Tilly and he too was watching the sport but he did look up as Macen entered with a small, reassuring smile.

Macen brought his mate a mug and he squeezed onto the couch between him and his sister. Avitus intoned his gratitude and accepted both the beverage and the comfort of his proximity. The Blackwatch agent pressed his nose to the rim of his own drink and relished the steam that filtered into creases of his nasal plating. There was something calming about _arimaceau,_ or perhaps it was simply Avi that calmed him.

In any case, by the time the game reached the final period Farin had arrived with his pet varren. Brief introductions were accomplished when the Reds took a time-out, attempting to rally for the win.

Farin took no issue with Avitus. He smiled and acknowledged him with the same reserved greeting he gave to Macen- a brief nod- before focusing on the game with their father.

The varren, Ashes, happily came over to Macen and stuck her face in his lap for attention. He was more than willing to provide her with some scratches behind her jaw, in that place he knew she loved. Anything to keep his focus off his mother and her occasional depressed glances at him and his mate.

Beside him, Avitus seemed to be enjoying biotiball. He appeared to understand the rules well enough to follow the game and he picked up on the clan team being the blues with ease, cheering and grousing at the appropriate times in line with Macen’s family. As the final minutes ticked by, Macen was enjoying himself and the sense of normalcy the game provided. In his fledgling years, watching sports with his father was one of their ways to bond.

Dinner followed the game. Take-out from the quarian noodle place that his mother favoured. It meant no one needed to cook and the food was of... _consistent_ quality. Better than rations but not as good as some of the places Macen liked to eat at on the Citadel.

There wasn’t another incident until the clan found themselves back in the sitting room with drinks and nothing but time on their talons. They’d all returned to their previous sitting arrangement with the exception of Farin, who was quite comfortable on the floor with his four-legged companion.

At first, Tilly took control of the conversation with a story about her recent trip to Baetika.

Then Farin told them about his new assignment.

And finally, it was Macen’s turn to contribute to the conversation. Avi was at his side and when Macen glanced over at him, he gave him a reassuring flick of his mandible. With the softness in his golden eyes, he knew it was the right time. If they didn’t say something now, they might never get the chance.

“I have an announcement,” Macen began as he took hold of Avitus’ hand. “I’ve decided to retire from Blackwatch.”

Reactions, again, were mixed. This time, however, Lin was pleased and Micus was confused, Tilly was surprised and Farin concerned. Macen’s career had been the most important thing to him in the past few years. It was something he was proud of, had worked hard for and beaten the odds to achieve. A low-tiered nobody from the outskirts of Astrega come to be a Blackwatch Captain.

“Will you move home?” his mother asked, excitedly. Macen could see the brightness in her eyes, she could probably get over his mate being male if it meant she’d get fledglings of any sort, especially if he lived close by.

“No, that’s… that’s actually the other half.” Macen felt Avi squeeze his hand, giving him strength. “I’ve been accepted to a multi-species colonization mission. Avitus and I will be heading the turian branch.”

“That’s great, son,” his father hummed a proud tone.

He felt Tilly shove him from the opposing side. “You’re going to be gone forever! Aren’t you?” she teased, unaware of how right she was.

Macen swallowed down the trepidation. “Actually, yeah… we will be.”

Farin whistled, half impressed and half curious, waking up his varren in the process. “You’re not talking about what I think you’re talking about, Mace?”

“The Andromeda Initiative,” Avitus replied for him. “We leave in a few months.”

“Andromeda?” Lin asked, blinking rapidly before looking to her youngest son. “Farin, what is this initiative, where is it?”

“It’s a one-way trip, mum,” he explained as he ran his talons across Ashes’ withers, relaxing the varren or maybe it was to calm himself. The room had gone tense and the beast seemed to understand it. Her tail had gone still and she’d nuzzled into Farin’s stomach. “It’s the Andromeda Galaxy.”

Before Macen could even attempt to explain further, she was on her feet. “YOU!” she yelled, stabbing a talon in Avitus’ direction.  “This is your doing? Isn’t it! Taking my Macen away from me!”

Micus had followed her, putting a hand onto her shoulder to stop her from leaping at them. Macen and Avitus had gotten to their feet as well, the former shielding the latter.

“Mom, it’s not like that!” Macen attempted to argue.

“No!” she shrieked, her hand slicing through the air between them. “First you quit your promising career, and now you’re leaving your clan behind to follow some… some…” she gestured at Avitus, unable to find a descriptive word fast enough before coming up with: “lowlife outworlder to another spirits-damned galaxy!”

“You’re out of line!” Macen all but snarled, his vocals rising to a level they hadn’t reached in years. He took a step forward and felt Avitus holding him by the elbow to stop him, just as Micus had done with Lin.

“I’m out of line?” his mother matched his tone. “You’ve been drawn in, Macen. Your life is here.” There was an unsaid -with me- that seeped into the room after her words like the stench of a body gone cold.

Avitus gently tugged his arm, garnering Macen’s attention. “Let’s go, hun. Calm down for a few minutes, alright?” Macen made to argue but Avitus cut him off with a slight shake of his head. “Please.”

Taking a breath to calm himself, Macen acquiesced. “Yeah. Okay.”

Avitus took them back to the front door, leaving his family in a stunned silence in the sitting room. The door had hardly begun to close behind them when Macen heard his mother’s wails. It damn near cracked Macen’s resolve to stay here. He didn’t want to be dragged away from his dreams of living free with Avitus, even if it meant his mother hated him.

Stepping outside, it was dark and the flowers they had seen earlier had all come into bloom. The bioluminescent flora lit the yard in blues and purples. They were as beautiful as he remembered them to be from when he last lived here. His father’s attention to detail in the gardens was part of what got him interested in colonization efforts in the first place. Even if some of his colonization tasks with Blackwatch were more about taking out rival settlers than the actual science behind the art.

He was torn out of his head by Avitus’ arms wrapping around him. One of Avi’s hands pulled their crests together for a moment and he let out a comforting rumble.

“Avi?” Macen asked, the tension falling away in the wake of affection.

“I’m sorry, love. I’m so sorry.” Avitus’ voice was rough and any semblance of the formal tone he’d been using since meeting Tillian was gone.

“No, I knew she wouldn’t take it well. I should’ve told dad first.” He was internally smacking himself upside the head for thinking she’d even consider his feelings before freaking out.

Avitus didn’t have any more words, instead, he held him and hummed his apology. Macen hated that all of his mate’s fears were coming true. His mother had come right out and called him a lowlife. If they’d stayed in the sitting room, she might’ve said worse.

Macen withdrew just enough to place his palm against Avitus’ maxilla. “I don’t care what they think. You’re my clan now, Avi.”

“You do care,” Avitus told him, nuzzling into his palm and shutting his eyes. “We don’t have to go, I… I can figure it out. Live undercover or-”

“Stop,” Macen cut him off. “We’re going. They just have to accept it. I’ll miss them but I can’t live without you.” Sliding a hand to the back of Avi’s head, he dragged his crest back down to meet his own. “I love you, Avi.”

The tension bled out of his partner’s shoulders. Maybe some of it was relief that they were still going to Andromeda, or maybe it was more the affirmation of Macen’s affection. He didn’t know. All that mattered was that they had each other.

“Let’s try this again, okay?” Macen suggested after a few minutes of quiet. The night air was growing chilly and leaving Avitus’ arms seemed like a terrible idea but he had to. He had to face his clan and tell them straight.

“I’m with you, Macen.”

Inside, Farin and Tillian had disappeared. Lin was seated at the dining table, a glass of wine resting between her hands, and Micus was at her side. Macen swallowed down the trepidation he felt and sat beside his mother, Avitus took the chair to his left.

“Why would you do this, Macen? Do you not love us?” his mother’s voice was ruined, depressed and hurt and confused. There was nothing he could do about the accusation in her tone.

“I love you all, very much,” Macen said. “But I love Avitus, too. If we’re going to be together, we have to go. I’m doing this for us, not because I’m running away from you.”

“Why!” She picked up her glass and took a long swig before setting the half-finished wine down hard on the surface. “Be together here!”

“We can’t, mom.”

Avitus put his hand over Macen’s, stopping him from saying more so he could cut in. “I’ve retired from my own career for this mission,” he began, having returned to his formal tone. “I was a Council Spectre.”

Macen was watching Avitus speak, so he didn’t see his parent’s reactions but he heard the pitch of approval from his father and a squeak of… something… from his mother. He couldn’t parse it.

“My position has made it unwise to remain in the Milky Way,” he explained calmly. “Macen found this opportunity for us, in Andromeda.”

“Go yourself,” Lin bit out. Macen turned to see her stand, her palms resting on the table in front of her. “I don’t care if you were on par with Saren Arterius! You’re still taking my child away! Go find yourself someone else!”

Macen felt his mate go rigid at the mention of his mentor. She didn’t know the implications of that name, she would simply have used it as the name of the most famous, or infamous, turian Spectre.

“That’s not possible, mom,” Macen said, reaching up to pull his collar away and showing her the bondmark. “We’re mated, and Avitus and I are leaving for Andromeda.”

“Macen…” Micus began, attempting to diffuse the situation and failing.

“No, dad. If you two can’t be happy for us, then this is the last time you’ll see me.” He could see the hurt in his father’s gaze and the heartbreak in his mother’s. The ultimatum left to hang in the air between them weighed heavily like fog in the low lying lands.

Lin pushed her chair back and left the room without a word. Micus remained.

“I love you, son. I support your decision and we will miss you. But I have to go after your mother, please stay the night still. We can talk more in the morning, hm?”

Macen hadn’t realized his shoulders were shaking until he nodded and broke himself out of the daze he’d been in watching his mother’s back disappear around the corner. Beside him, he heard Avitus agree to stay and then his father tell them goodnight before he disappeared in the same direction his mother had gone.

“Let’s go, Macen.” Avitus directed him away, toward the stairs and up to the room he’d shared with his siblings growing up. It was empty for the moment. Giving him space to breathe.

He caught Avitus looking around the cramped room. There were two beds, barely big enough for two fully grown turians each, and a dresser set between them. A closet held old childhood possessions and a few items of clothing that he or one of the others had left behind on a previous visit.

By the time they’d changed out of travel clothes, the sound of the back door opening and closing downstairs gave Macen an idea of where his siblings had gone. He could hear two sets of feet and one set of paws. They’d been off walking Ashes. Macen took a long breath, now he had to face Tillian and Farin. He hoped it’d go a little better. _Spirits it can’t be worse, can it?_

A few minutes passed with quiet voices and then feet padded up the stairs.

Tillian entered first, Farin on her heels. “Dad told us why you’re going,” she said before Macen had the chance to say a word.

Backing up a few paces, Macen let himself drop into one of the beds. He sighed and ran his talons through the blades of his fringe. Avitus placed a warm hand on his shoulder in reassurance. “Which part?” Macen asked.

“Both, I guess?” Farin answered, closing the door behind them. “You’re leaving because of Avitus’ Spectre status and you’re bonded. So congratulations?” his mandibles flared out in a sad smile.

Tillian came closer, she sat down beside him and pulled him into a hug. “I hate it,” she said. “I hate it but I understand. You need to go and live your life, you always have.” After a moment she slid back enough to look up at Avitus. “Can you promise me something?”

Macen glanced up in time to see his mate nod. “What’s that?”

“Promise me you’ll be happy.”

“I can promise you that I’ll do everything in my power to make your brother as happy as he’s made me,” Avitus squeezed his shoulder and his eyes drifted back. “No force out there can stop me.”

Macen raised his hand to clasp Avitus’. A smile spread his mandibles wide.

“Well,” Farin began, chuckling as he dropped onto the open bed and sprawled out. “If there’s a better endorsement, then I haven’t heard it.”

“I suppose not, no.” Tilly patted Macen’s shoulder before standing and swapping to sit against the wall of the other bed, her legs bent over Farin’s ankles. “When do you leave?”

“A few months,” Macen told them, he tugged Avitus down beside him and the elder male sang reassurances to him. “I’ve finished with Blackwatch and start working with the Initiative when we return to the Citadel.”

“And your career, Avitus?” she asked.

He inclined his crest and sighed. “I retired my Spectre status and plan to assist where I can with Macen’s work.” His teeth flashed in a small, unassuming smile. “Not that my hands are any good for the kind of work he’s doing.”

“You’re fine, Avi.” Macen tried to placate him but Avitus simply shook his head.

Farin whistled from his prone position on the bed, barely caring to raise himself on an elbow to look over at them. “Landed yourself a Spectre, Mace? Impressive.”

“I’m the lucky one,” Avitus replied.

Tillian cooed at the pair of them before launching into a story about when they were young and all fit into one of the beds in this room. They spent the evening like that, huddled up in the bedroom telling tales and laughing like they were young again. Eventually, Farin fetched drinks for them all and brought Ashes back to curl up on the floor between them.

All told, it was a good night. One of the best, even though it was also one of their last together.

Avitus even opened up and joined in on their stories. Macen watched him with bright eyes and a close ear, learning more in one night than he had in their entire first year together. Without the weight of Spectre-hood riding on his shoulders, words could flow and experiences could be shared without fear.

Macen wished it was possible to stay here, unencumbered by the weight of his partner’s past but it wasn’t meant to be. Enemies lurked around every corner, more so with Avitus’ association to the late Spectre Arterius. There were already those who called for his incarceration and worse. They had to leave.

The knowledge that Andromeda would be filled with thousands of possibilities and without fear brought Macen happiness. They would build a life together, out of the shadows.

\---

**Author's Note:**

> -VV


End file.
